Top 15 Shortest Careers
The average career length of a Piston Cup racer tends to be 11 and a half years usually due to them debuting in their 20's or late teens. But here are fifteen SHORTEST careers of racers. Backup racers do not count, but CARCA, Xfinity, Junior and Camping World Trucks do though. 15. Michael Smith - 10 years (1967 to 1977) Michael Smith had the 3rd saddest life. His mom, dad and older brother died in a house fire when he was 12. He had a tragic life and continued to have it for his life. Michael was homeless for a long time. In 1967, he signed up for Leak Less after Gordon Tireson retired. His life, though, was still tragic. He, however, had a happy ending when his first win was the 1969 Belle 500 with Joe Allen Foyt 2nd, then part-timer The King 3rd and Mario Andretti 4th. He only raced for nine years and had a happy life again. 14. Parker Brakeston - 10 years (2007 to 2016) Parker had a short career because he originally was backup for Manny Flywheel during the 2006 season and went rookie in 2007. Parker had a tragic life when he caused Ron Pitcar to crash while he was in the grandstands in the 1989 Nightdona 500 when he was just 4. When he was 11 in 1996, his parents, younger brother, stuff and toys were lost. Parker cried so hard that he flooded the whole destroyed house. Parker cried and cried. He got re-interested in racing in 2005 and served as Manny Flywheel's backup. Then Parker went rookie in 2007 but was fired in 2016 and he would have his tragedy. 13. Mark Landis - 7 years (1993 to 1999) Mark Landis is probably the most famous racer with a career of less then 10 years. In his case the reason was he just could not get a sponsor as well as only one win with usually mid performances. 12. Perry Douglas - 5 years 1 1962 race (1956 to 1962 Nightdona 500) Perry Douglas was very very poor. So poor that he and his parents were almost homeless. His father worked as a wheel polisher but unfortunately Perry's dad was killed in the World War II. He signed up for Easy Idle in 1956 and raced until the 1962 Nightdona 500, in which he had a career ending crash in which he was accidentally hit by James Finland because James was lose, caused Perry to hit the wall, flip over five times and land on his roof. Perry then was replaced by the godly Ruby Easy Oaks' father Ronald. 11. Markus Krankzler - 5 years (2012 to 2016) Markus Krankzler only raced for 4 years because of next-gen interest replacing Markus with a next generation racer named Bubba Wheelhouse Jr. 10. Travis Hoodson - 4 years (1964-1967) Travis only raced for 1 year due to him looking for a sponsor but having no sponsor. Poor Travis was forced to retire from the Cup due to being unsponsored. 9. Jack Spinner - 3 years (1988 to 1990) Jack Spinner had a short career from 1988 until his career ending crash in the 1990 Calladega 500. Jack was an ok racer but never won a race in his career. He placed second once in the 1989 Sputter Stop 400 and generally placed in the lower half of the pack. 8. Carl Clutchen - 4 years (2013 to 2016) Unlike Markus Krankzler, Carl Clutchen only raced for 4 years because of next-gen interest replacing Carl with Harvey Rodcap. 7. Dino Draftsky - 4 years (2013 to 2016) Dino Draftsky also only raced for 4 years because of next-gen interest replacing him with Ruby's worst next-gen (aka Noah Gocek). 6. John Watson - 2 years (1974 to 1975) John Watson had a very brief career, and was also sponsorless for the years 1974 and 1975. John did not get any wins. 5. Bruce Miller - 5 years (2012-2016) Bruce Miller only served as backup from 2008 to 2011 and ran full time from 2012 to 2016. He began racing in the 2012 Florida 500 and was then fired by RPM and replaced in 2016 by Barry Depedal. 4. Bill Clintson - 1 year 36 races (1968) Besides the rather unfortunate name he has he also had one of the shortest careers ever having participated in only one year but all 36 races. He has the shortest known career of a sponsored racer. In this case he was with N20 Cola for that year before being replaced by Ron Pitcar in 1969 who arguably proved to be better then Clintson. Poor Clintson also happened to be born 1946 and has been compared to the president ever sine he was elected and even after his term ended. 3. Warren Carr - 1 year 13 races (1981) Warren Carr only raced from the 1981 Nightdona 500 to the 1981 Memphis 400. At the 1981 N20 Cola 400 at Talladega he met his end while going to the speedway after his hauler lost control crashed off a bridge killing both him and his hauler. 2. Harry Pitcar - 1 year 4 races (1955) Harry Pitcar had the second shortest career ever. He only raced in the 1955 Piston Cup Season at Nightdona, Las Vegas, Texas and Kansas. Harry was killed while practicing at Charlotte. 1. Grover White - 1 year 3 races (1972) The shortest career that lasted more than one race is Grover White's career in 1972. Grover apparently used illegal fuels which is why he was suspended for life after the Virginia 500. The disgraced racer never returned and Grover had died in a plane crash in 1983. The Epilouge Also do check out the Top 7 One Time Racers who ONLY raced in one race and never came back.